A collection from one of pop music's writers, which forms a compendium of frontline despatches. The book is divided into several sections - the early 1970s (the hippy hangover and the glamorous tendency), the middle 1970s (the end of civilisation as we know it) and the late 1970s onwards (after the end). Pieces include the world's rudest interview with Paul McCartney, proto punk and Manhattan wierdos (ie the Ramones), punk rock, soul power, the Rolling Stones, Murray's memorial of Jimi Hendrix and the death of Presley.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I grew up as an avid reader of the NME in the 70's, and CSM was always my favourite writer on there: his sense of humour, passion for the music and (in my view) good taste put him ever so slightly ahead of other fine writers of the time such as Nick Kent and Ian McDonald. Since leaving the NME, he seems to have been rather less visible. I read his Crosstown Traffic when it came out, but - as I recall - didn't think his gift for a snappy, compact article transferred easily to the overarching argument required in a book.
I was delighted, therefore, to come across this collection on Amazon (and even more pleased to be able to obtain a copy from one of their resellers). I immediately read it from cover to cover, and have dipped into it many times since. It's an excellent collection of his articles spanning some twenty years from the early 70's onwards, ranging from period pieces such as an interview (of sorts) with Marc Bolan when T.Rex were just about to be The Next Big Thing to more timeless essays, like an intelligent assessment of Miles Davis. Just trying to imagine how hard it would be to track down something as valuable as this prior to the advent of the internet makes you realise all over again what a great thing it is.
I was delighted, therefore, to come across this collection on Amazon (and even more pleased to be able to obtain a copy from one of their resellers). I immediately read it from cover to cover, and have dipped into it many times since. It's an excellent collection of his articles spanning some twenty years from the early 70's onwards, ranging from period pieces such as an interview (of sorts) with Marc Bolan when T.Rex were just about to be The Next Big Thing to more timeless essays, like an intelligent assessment of Miles Davis. Just trying to imagine how hard it would be to track down something as valuable as this prior to the advent of the internet makes you realise all over again what a great thing it is.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
As one might expect from one of the top UK rock writers around, this is a fine collection of Murray's articles in various publications during the 1970s and 80s including Oz, NME and Q magazine. The best chapters are undoubtedly his very perceptive reviews of various live performances although there are also a few interesting pieces about broader subjects like the legacy of punk rock, glam rock and good interviews with the likes of novelists JG Ballard and Kurt Vonnegut, Diana Ross, Paul McCartney, David Bowie and Patti Smith.
Here is Murray describing a Black Sabbath gig in the early 70s - "You need to feel as if Geezer's sproinging away on the coils of your cerebellum while they are connected up to a light socket, if you wanna get technical about it. Simultaneously Tony Iommi's got to be heaving giant slabs of semi-sentient guitar grunge around behind your eye lids and Bill...well, Bill's probably out back smashing his way through a brick wall by the simple expedient of hitting it with his head, while Ozzy caterwauls about something or other locked in a basement". And I loved his description of The Sex Pistols on stage - "..and the band kicks into Anarchy in the UK, Jones' guitar a saw toothed snarl teetering on the edge of a feedback holocaust, Sid's bass synched firmly into Cook's walloping drums and Rotten an avenging scarecrow, an accusing outcast cawing doom and contempt like Poe's raven".
Here is Murray describing a Black Sabbath gig in the early 70s - "You need to feel as if Geezer's sproinging away on the coils of your cerebellum while they are connected up to a light socket, if you wanna get technical about it. Simultaneously Tony Iommi's got to be heaving giant slabs of semi-sentient guitar grunge around behind your eye lids and Bill...well, Bill's probably out back smashing his way through a brick wall by the simple expedient of hitting it with his head, while Ozzy caterwauls about something or other locked in a basement". And I loved his description of The Sex Pistols on stage - "..and the band kicks into Anarchy in the UK, Jones' guitar a saw toothed snarl teetering on the edge of a feedback holocaust, Sid's bass synched firmly into Cook's walloping drums and Rotten an avenging scarecrow, an accusing outcast cawing doom and contempt like Poe's raven".
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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5.0 out of 5 stars
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nothing artificial about this hip
26 Jun 2000
By A Customer
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
CSM, one of the best music journalists writing in England in the 70's and 80's, has collected a selection of his reviews from the music press and put 'em in one easy to read little package. Dip in at random and be entertained by the articulate and erudite Mr Murray. Gasp at his far sightedness when reviewing the icons of his day (including the Clash, The Rolling Stones, Bruce etc. etc.). Cry for the lack of a contemporary writer with Murray's sense of humour, insight, sheer pizazz! I know this book is out of stock but do yourself a favour and order it right now!
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